Is it really now? A Certificate of Recognition.
In the IT sector, it is hard to distinguish if an appreciation is really meant to recognise the effort put in or if it is just a device used as a motivating factor to keep going and going. Especially if the appreciation goes from one person to another, quarter-on-quarter in a round-robin basis. Or perhaps both.
Well, I guess I should be happy.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Monday, February 09, 2009
Thought for the day
Excerpt from a blog by Ashok Vemmuri (my boss's boss's boss's...boss!), who is attending World Economic Forum in Davos:
In addition to collaboration, there was a strong theme running through today’s discussions that we need to go back to basics. The world has over-complicated itself; we need to scale back and slow everything down so that the world can be stabilized again. This isn’t just for the banking industry, but also organizational management, and the relationship between the state and the private sector.
The world has over-complicated itself. This line made me chuckle. Its what I always keep thinking! Its so true! Masanobu Fukuoka always said 'How about not doing this? How about not doing that?' We indeed have over-complicated our lives...
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Power of a mole!
In a casual discussion with relatives today, my aunt mentioned that if a person has a mole on his feet, he tends to travel a lot. Instinctively, I looked down at my feet.
I did not have just one mole. I had one mole on my left foot and one mole on my right foot! No wonder I like to travel so much!!
Boinks!!
I did not have just one mole. I had one mole on my left foot and one mole on my right foot! No wonder I like to travel so much!!
Boinks!!
Thursday, February 05, 2009
V-Day Wedding?
Sri Rama Sene group, recently infamous for their beating of young girls in a Mangalore pub for following Western Culture, are once again in the news. SRS has decided to arrange marriage between dating couples on V-Day. Guys and gals exhibiting public display of affection on Valentine's Day will be caught by SRS team and taken to a sub-registrar's office to solemnize the marriage.
But then, I thought, Feb 14th is a second Saturday! All Government offices, including sub-registrar's offices will be closed on Feb 14th!
:-)
I guess me and Gouri just lost a golden chance to get freely married a second time in less than a year...
:-)
But then, I thought, Feb 14th is a second Saturday! All Government offices, including sub-registrar's offices will be closed on Feb 14th!
:-)
I guess me and Gouri just lost a golden chance to get freely married a second time in less than a year...
:-)
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
0730 hrs
As I was waiting for my company bus today at 0730 hrs,
Amidst the myriad of vehicles plying about,
Some school vans, some college vans, some company vehicles,
Some autorickshaws, some public buses,
And amidst people at various stages of getting ready for the day,
Some returning from morning walk, some starting off,
Some dropping children to school, some heading to office,
Some getting milk from the shop, some fuelling up their vehicles,
I had this random thought:
How many people would be awake, up and about by 0730 hrs?!
Amidst the myriad of vehicles plying about,
Some school vans, some college vans, some company vehicles,
Some autorickshaws, some public buses,
And amidst people at various stages of getting ready for the day,
Some returning from morning walk, some starting off,
Some dropping children to school, some heading to office,
Some getting milk from the shop, some fuelling up their vehicles,
I had this random thought:
How many people would be awake, up and about by 0730 hrs?!
Sunday, February 01, 2009
2009 Australian Open Tennis Championship
....aaaaah. It really hurts to see a champion crying...
But then, he is no longer a champion...
And, the reason, perhaps, he has lost the championship...
...is because he cries...
But then, he is no longer a champion...
And, the reason, perhaps, he has lost the championship...
...is because he cries...
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Quote of the day
"Health can buy Wealth;
But Wealth cannot buy Health"
Observed at Pulse Diagnostics after I had been there for Total Wellness Check c/o Artha.
On a side note, I am Totally Well :-)
Apart from the 76, of course :-(
But Wealth cannot buy Health"
Observed at Pulse Diagnostics after I had been there for Total Wellness Check c/o Artha.
On a side note, I am Totally Well :-)
Apart from the 76, of course :-(
Sunday, January 18, 2009
"First Time In Life" of the day
* Booked Tatkal ticket on IRCTC.
* Blew air bubbles on road from balcony using soapy water. Courtesy: Wife.
:)
* Blew air bubbles on road from balcony using soapy water. Courtesy: Wife.
:)
Friday, January 16, 2009
Me and Bargaining!
I aint the type to bargain during shopping with street vendors. I only do it sometimes - half-heartedly and hence unsuccessfully - if I am asked to do so by parents. My idea is that: not much money is given to charity or the needy deliberately, and this way of 'not-bargaining' during shopping with street vendors would, if not wholly, at least to an extent, act as an alternate for charity. After all, its a matter of few Rupees.
So I was out there on the streets today trying to shop something for Rs 50, asked by parents over phone to get the value down to Rs 40. So when the shop keeper said "50", I said simply, without even adding meaning to it, purely on the orders of the parents, "Make it 40" and gave him a 100 Rupee note.
I had every intention to give Rs 50 in any case if the shopkeeper so much as even whined a little. I mean thats what I expected, dont we all? When customer bargains, the shopkeeper whines and says how much prices have increased and how helpless he is and blah-blah.
On the contrary, to my statement of "Make it 40", the shopkeeper blinked back at me, put on a face of incredulity and demanded "Why?"
Inwardly, I laughed out loud! No one had asked me this ever before! Why would one bargain?! Anyway, I mumbled something about its value being 40 or something - again, not at all putting feeling into what I was saying - and took my leave, taking back with me the change of Rs 50 which the shopkeeper had returned...
:)
So I was out there on the streets today trying to shop something for Rs 50, asked by parents over phone to get the value down to Rs 40. So when the shop keeper said "50", I said simply, without even adding meaning to it, purely on the orders of the parents, "Make it 40" and gave him a 100 Rupee note.
I had every intention to give Rs 50 in any case if the shopkeeper so much as even whined a little. I mean thats what I expected, dont we all? When customer bargains, the shopkeeper whines and says how much prices have increased and how helpless he is and blah-blah.
On the contrary, to my statement of "Make it 40", the shopkeeper blinked back at me, put on a face of incredulity and demanded "Why?"
Inwardly, I laughed out loud! No one had asked me this ever before! Why would one bargain?! Anyway, I mumbled something about its value being 40 or something - again, not at all putting feeling into what I was saying - and took my leave, taking back with me the change of Rs 50 which the shopkeeper had returned...
:)
And the elevator moved on its own...
There is something about 'things happening on their own without my intervention' that gives me a great kick!
Such as being on a bicycle on a slopy road when I do not have to pedal...
Such as enjoying the warmth of a hot water bath coming from a solar heater and not due to the electric geyser that I had to switch on...
Such as door opening on its own as I near it...
One such desire I had since a very long time was :
1. to stand in front of an elevator
2. elevator doors to open on its own
3. I enter the unmanned elevator
4. elevator to move on its own to the floor I want it to go
5. elevator to reach the desired floor and open the doors on its own
6. and I get off the elevator
As can be seen, I get from one floor to another without so much as even a press of a button. Perhaps the fact I am paranoid about carpal tunnel syndrome or perhaps this kick of 'things happening on their own', but in any case, the above desire to be fulfilled had been going on for a very long time now - almost years altogether.
And, at last, today, the desire was fulfilled!
I was at Floor 2 and I had to go to Floor 0. As I neared the elevator on Floor 2, it was coming up from Floor 0 on its own. So I just waited for the doors to open. Once it opened, I entered in and just waited there. The doors closed and for a moment, the elevator didnt move. It just stood there. Within a minute, someone at Floor 0 pressed the button and the elevator started moving down to Floor 0. Once Floor 0 was reached, I just stepped out, and finally, I had achieved my small ambition of moving from one floor to another floor in an unmanned elevator without even pressing a single button!
And I wasnt alone in this event. I had been discussing about this desire of mine to many of my friends over a period of time. This time, I was with 5 friends and persuaded them also not to press any button throughout the ordeal. It brought even more joy when they too whooped in happiness along with me as the elevator moved down towards Floor 0!
Its a very tiny thing, I know, but it gave me immense joy!
:)
Such as being on a bicycle on a slopy road when I do not have to pedal...
Such as enjoying the warmth of a hot water bath coming from a solar heater and not due to the electric geyser that I had to switch on...
Such as door opening on its own as I near it...
One such desire I had since a very long time was :
1. to stand in front of an elevator
2. elevator doors to open on its own
3. I enter the unmanned elevator
4. elevator to move on its own to the floor I want it to go
5. elevator to reach the desired floor and open the doors on its own
6. and I get off the elevator
As can be seen, I get from one floor to another without so much as even a press of a button. Perhaps the fact I am paranoid about carpal tunnel syndrome or perhaps this kick of 'things happening on their own', but in any case, the above desire to be fulfilled had been going on for a very long time now - almost years altogether.
And, at last, today, the desire was fulfilled!
I was at Floor 2 and I had to go to Floor 0. As I neared the elevator on Floor 2, it was coming up from Floor 0 on its own. So I just waited for the doors to open. Once it opened, I entered in and just waited there. The doors closed and for a moment, the elevator didnt move. It just stood there. Within a minute, someone at Floor 0 pressed the button and the elevator started moving down to Floor 0. Once Floor 0 was reached, I just stepped out, and finally, I had achieved my small ambition of moving from one floor to another floor in an unmanned elevator without even pressing a single button!
And I wasnt alone in this event. I had been discussing about this desire of mine to many of my friends over a period of time. This time, I was with 5 friends and persuaded them also not to press any button throughout the ordeal. It brought even more joy when they too whooped in happiness along with me as the elevator moved down towards Floor 0!
Its a very tiny thing, I know, but it gave me immense joy!
:)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Moments of the day
* The drama 'All the best' was hilariously magnificent. As were the dance sequences that followed. The setting - Infosys Amphitheatre - was exemplary. The mood was (Sankranthi) festive. The crowd was multilingual although the drama and songs were in Kannada. Suffice it to say that it was jam packed. The MC looked fabulous, and to top it all, when she threw the Dairy Milk at the audience, who would have thought that I can reach out and catch it?! Boy, that made me really a happy!
* There I am riding slowly on the new TVS Streak scooterette, making sure I do not cross 40 kmph (at least till I reach 600 kms), and what do I see but other scooters going at the same slow speed as me! In reality, they are checking the scooterette out in totality - from back to front and from right to left! Talk about advantages of being amongst the first few to own a new vehicle that just got released! Boy, it made me feel as if I was in an ad show!
* There I am riding slowly on the new TVS Streak scooterette, making sure I do not cross 40 kmph (at least till I reach 600 kms), and what do I see but other scooters going at the same slow speed as me! In reality, they are checking the scooterette out in totality - from back to front and from right to left! Talk about advantages of being amongst the first few to own a new vehicle that just got released! Boy, it made me feel as if I was in an ad show!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Where are all the women?!
For the nth time in my life, I attended a meeting of over 20 people but with just 1 female member.
My first project had several meetings consisting of several male members but just one female member. But then, the whole team consisted of only one female member!! And today again, there was a meeting with just one female member in a room full of male associates. It made me wonder what it always make me wonder.
Either its a male dominated society or I am in a female-deprived projects' area!
In each of these meetings, I truly like the way each of these female associates respond to and articulate their thoughts and opinions clearly, albeit outnumbered in gender. Its really good to see that they do not get outweighed by the situation and feel complex about it, because, in reality, they are the ones who are really admired and respected by the male counterparts.
Question: How would I feel if I were to be in a meeting consisting of only female associates?!
:)
My first project had several meetings consisting of several male members but just one female member. But then, the whole team consisted of only one female member!! And today again, there was a meeting with just one female member in a room full of male associates. It made me wonder what it always make me wonder.
Either its a male dominated society or I am in a female-deprived projects' area!
In each of these meetings, I truly like the way each of these female associates respond to and articulate their thoughts and opinions clearly, albeit outnumbered in gender. Its really good to see that they do not get outweighed by the situation and feel complex about it, because, in reality, they are the ones who are really admired and respected by the male counterparts.
Question: How would I feel if I were to be in a meeting consisting of only female associates?!
:)
Sunday, December 21, 2008
F***
I met two friends this weekend.
It had been quite some time since I saw them.
Both had come down from US to India on vacation.
I noticed both of them using a four lettered F word very frequently.
When I knew them before, the word was not so common in their dialect.
It was not the same word used by both though; they were two different words.
One of the four lettered F word was 'Fish'.
It had been quite some time since I saw them.
Both had come down from US to India on vacation.
I noticed both of them using a four lettered F word very frequently.
When I knew them before, the word was not so common in their dialect.
It was not the same word used by both though; they were two different words.
One of the four lettered F word was 'Fish'.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Improper Initial Perceptions
A florist shop in front of a wedding hall made me think “Wow! What a strategic place to open a florist shop. Wedding guests can buy bouquet in front of the wedding hall and present it to the hosts.”
But then I realized that not many wedding guests would know about the florist shop in front of the wedding hall and hence they would have already brought wedding gifts along with them to the wedding.
So its not such a strategic place after all…!
* * *
I noticed a water tanker ahead of me, while driving my car, spilling bucketful of water every minute onto the median through the outlet hose, as the tanker chugged along the bumpy road. It made me think what a waste it is to the owner of the water tanker or the company that owns it to have lost so much water in every transit.
But then I realized that the real loss is not to the water tanker or the company that owns it but to the customer - to whom the tanker is heading - who has actually paid for the tanker full of water! So if a customer pays Rs 500 for a tanker full of water, by the time the tanker comes to the customer’s place, the tanker will be about three-fourths full of water and the customer wont even now it!
So all that water onto the median was actually paid by the customer of the company that owns the water tanker…!
* * *
There is a shop at the end of our road which is a part of a 3-storey building, and time and again the shopkeepers need to switch on the water pump to pump water from the basement sump all the way to the tank three floors above. Extremely irresponsible citizens that they are, not a day passes without them switching the pump off before water overflows from the overhead tank. The ingenious architect of the building has so placed the overhead tank that whenever the water overflows from the tank, the water spills directly onto the pavement - where the shop customers are standing - and also a little bit onto the road. The ingenious architect along with the irresponsible shopkeepers thereby has created occasionally an artificial water falls for all passers-by to see and feel!
So, there I am again, thinking what a waste, to see all that good potable water getting spilt onto the road for no reason.
But then I realized that although the water from the tank is spilling onto the road, it is actually not joining the drainage water of the gutter. Due to the slope of the road – should I say architected by another ingenious engineer? – the water just stays there at the edge of the pavement, stagnant. This puddle of water either evaporates by itself or gets absorbed by the earth to add onto the ground water.
So, although it seemed that overflow of the tank was causing wastage of water, it, in fact, was a boon to the ground water table, financed by the shopkeepers!
* * *
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